Not Totally Helpless
by N. Forest
Summary: Written for Healer Pomfrey's Summer Challenge. Severus Snape is checking on all the students to see if they are infected with the Fossa virus. While healing Dean Thomas he passes out from exhaustion.


**Disclaimer: **JKR owns everything. I am simply borrowing her characters.

This was written for Healer Pomfrey's Summer challenge. Dean Thomas and Severus Snape.

Not Totally Helpless

"Hi!" Dean Thomas ran across Platform 9 ¾ to greet his mother, stepfather and siblings. He hadn't seen them since Christmas and he always felt the most homesick right before he returned home.

"Hey Dean." His mother caught him up into a tight hug. "Good year?"

"Awesome!" Dean looked at the assembled group with shining eyes. "I loved it!"

"Magic's awesome!" Levina, his seven year old sister declared.

"Hmm." Dean's stepfather gazed down at him. He seemed more imperious and taller than ever. Dean hadn't known the man was his stepfather until Professor Flitwick had come and told them about the magical world and Dean's biological father. It had created a rift between the two of them ever since.

"Let's get home." Jacob was trying to look bored. It didn't really work. He was as anxious to find out what had happened the past year as the rest of the family.

"Definitely." Dean followed his mother out to the family van and piled into the back with his brother and sister.

"Nice to have break?" His mother asked after they had hauled his trunk out of the van and up to his second story bedroom.

"Yes." Dean fell back onto his bed. His room was exactly as he had left it. His mother had dusted and swept but mostly just left it alone. His books were on the shelves, clothes hanging in the closet and his wizard things stuck out like a sore thumb.

"I'll leave to get settled in." Mother walked to the door. "Dinner will be in about an hour."

"Thanks." Dean watched as she walked down the stairs. He twisted uncomfortably on the bed. His back hurt. As if he'd fallen asleep on his books again. Or gotten a cat scratch.

He made his way into the bathroom. His toothbrush had been replaced, but his soap and shampoo were just where he'd left them. He took off his shirt and twisted around to get a glimpse of his back in the mirror.

"What?" Dean had no idea how the tiny marks on his back had gotten there. They hurt. More like a cat scratch than anything else. Sort itchy and puffy. He looked as closely as he could at them.

"They'll heal on their own." He reassured him self. After his mother's obsession with cats he;d gotten plenty of scratches.

Dean hurried back to his bedroom and unpacked his trunk. He left most of the stuff in it. Spreading wizarding things around his muggle house just didn't seem right. _Worlds don't mix._ He thought as he folded his robes into the bottom of the trunk.

The last of his favourite books made it on to a pile beside his bed. Tonight he would relax, de-stress and totally forget about the cuts on his back.

He yawned, stretching his back as far as it would go until the light skin over the cuts was pulled tight. "Ow."

"Something wrong?" His mother raised an eyebrow.

Dean considered telling her for a moment. She was his mother and she was a nurse practitioner. She'd know what to do. But his Gryffindor bravery kicked in and reminded him that is wasn't _too _bad and he wanted to enjoy his first night back. "No, nothing."

"Dinner time." She headed back down to the kitchen that had the most wonderful smells coming from it at this time. "Hurry up!"

Dean felt his mouth watering as he washed his hands in the sink. The food at Hogwarts was marvellous, but no one could cook like his stepfather. From the smell of things he was making kale and stir-fry mushrooms again. Dean's favourite.

The next morning Dean woke up felling exhausted. He'd slept in late and his eyes were still heavy and his head was staring to pound its way to the worst headache he'd ever had.

"Are you awake yet?" Levina burst in through the doorway and came to settle on his bed.

He struggled to pull himself to a half sitting position. His back burned every time he moved. He fought to keep from wincing and to keep the smile on his face. "Morning Lev. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wake up a teenager?" He groaned.

"But it's late." She wined.

Dean resisted the temptation of tickling her to death. It would normally have been fun, but at this time he was too tired and he hurt too much.

"You have a cut." Alyssa ran a finger under his eye. "Does it hurt?"

"No." Dean pulled away from her. "I'm going to the bathroom." He slowly eased himself out of bed. His sleeve slip back a little and he saw cuts on his wrist, all the way up his arm.

He starred at his reflection in the bathroom. He was covered in small, red cuts now. The ones on his back that had been there yesterday hadn't gotten better. They'd gotten worse. They were longer, wider, deeper and some of them looked as if they were going to start oozing liquid.

"You done yet?" His stepfather pounded on the door. He'd never had much patience for slow pokes and since he'd started working the night shift he'd been extremely short tempered in the mornings.

"Sorry sir." Dean slipped out and climbed back into his bed. Sleep sounded like a very good idea. As long as the cats and Levina stayed away he should heal up quickly. And than his mother wouldn't have to worry.

Severus Snape was absolutely exhausted. Even his days as a spy and a death eater had not prepared him for this. Countless apparations. Blood drawing and potion testing. And on top of everything he had to check every student who'd been at Hogwarts!

He apparated again. Another muggle neighbourhood came into view. The bottles in his pocket clinked together. He scowled at a dog in someone's front yard.

'Blasted Kettleburn!' He thought as he walked quickly down the street. 'Not only is he a bad teacher, he brings in some kind of messed up beast that carries a disease!'

The Fossa virus was only carried by a rare, almost extinct form of invisible monkey. It was impossible to tell if the monkeys carried the disease because the only way to tell was to examine them. And one can't examine an invisible monkey. Even diagnostic charms were useless.

"Oh Albus." Snape whispered. The old man was sick, very sick. The disease affected you worse if you were older. The headmaster was in very bad shape. That's why Pomfrey had assigned checking the students to him.

'This is it.' Snape walked up the walk to a plain, ordinary looking, muggle house. He checked the paper in his pocket. This was the right place. He knocked sharply on the door.

"Can I help you?" An older looking woman opened the door and glanced suspiciously at his robes. "I'm not buying anything."

Severus ignored the urge to sigh. "No. I'm here to see Dean Thomas. I'm Professor Snape from Hogwarts school."

"Oh." The woman stepped aside. "Come in."

Severus Snape walked into the entrance way of yet another muggle house. This one was slightly cleaner than the rest of them and the abundance of sports equipment and outdoor clothing told him that there were many children here. But everything was neatly organized and put away.

"I'm Dean's mother, Johanna Thames." The woman motioned up the stairs before calling out, "Levina!"

A girl younger than most Severus saw came running down the stairs. Her long, dark hair flapping behind her. "Yes mum?" She spoted Severus and starred at him. "Who's he?"

"This is Professor Snape." Johanna looked at her daughter. "Is Dean awake?"

"Still sleeping. He doesn't want to play." Levina scowled. "Why?"

"Interesting." Snape addressed Johanna. "There's a magical disease that Mr. Thomas has been exposed to. I need to see him."

"Levina, show him up!" Johanna ordered. "Then come help me in the kitchen."

Levina glared at her mother but did as she was told. "Come on sir."

Severus tiredly followed the girl up the staircase to the first landing. "Where is he?" He asked her sharply when she stopped walking.

"Up there." The girl pointed to the next set of stairs, a rickety looking death trap. "We can't both go on at the same time. They'll break."

"Very well." Snape pulled his robes tighter around himself. He was starting to get cold. "I'll be down shortly." He climbed the stairs as quickly as possible and entered the bedroom labeled 'Dean'.

"Lev, is that you?" Dean turned toward the door. "I told you I don't want to play."

"Do I really look like your sister Mr. Thomas?" Snape asked as he stepped over to the bed. Already he could see the cuts on the boy's face. Definitely the Fossa virus.

"No. Sorry sir." Dean tried to get out of bed. But he inhaled sharply when he pushed off of his hands. He looked at them and starred at the cuts that covered his hands and arms. "What is this sir?"

Inside Snape was cursing. He was tired and after seeing to Seamus Finnegan he didn't want to deal with another virus-positive case. At least Finnegan's parents could look after him. Thomas was muggle raised and he'd have to stay and care for the boy.

"A moment." He told the boy before hurrying back down the stairs to the kitchen when Levina and Johanna were cooking.

"Hello. Is He al-right?" Johanna asked, wiping her hands on a towel as she did.

"No." Snape told her. "He's infected with the Fossa virus."

"What does that mean? Can you cure it?" She asked. "I've never heard of it before. I'm a nurse practitioner."

Severus restrained the urge to snap at her. _It's not her fault she's a muggle._ He reminded himself. "Only wizards can become infected by the Fossa virus, so you're fine. It causes small, very painful cuts to appear all over the body. I can't use any magic or potions, that will only infect the cuts."

"Can he take normal medicine?" Johanna asked. "I've got antiseptics and pain relief pills."

"He can take those." Snape stood up. "I do have a salve that will make the cuts heal more quickly. But he is in pain."

"Okay. Just one sec." Johanna disappeared into the next room. "Just let me get the medications." She returned shortly with a box of bottles and jars. "Here you are."

"Thank you Mrs. Thomas." Severus said as he took the box.

"Mrs. Thames actually. I remarried." She told him with a smile. "Dean's got his Father's name."

"Aw. I see." Severus headed back up to the second floor as quick as possible. The potion vials in his pockets jingling as he did.

Dean was still laying on his side sleeping when he got to his room.

"Wake up Mr. Thomas." He ordered the boy in his nasty potion teacher's voice.

"Uh. Sir." Dean opened his eyes slowly. A new cut had appeared, down his nose and another crossing through his left eyebrow.

"I've got some things that will help you feel better." He told his student as he opened looked through the box. A jar filled will tablets, labeled ibuprofen caught his eye. He shook out a tablet and conjured a goblet of water. "Take this." He slid his arm behind the boy's shoulders and helped him to a half sitting position.

Dean swallowed quickly. "Thank you sir."

Snape nodded. "I'm going to take your shirt off and heal some of the cuts."

Dean nodded. Severus waved his wand to banish the boy's shirt and took a jar of the thick paste from his pocket. Dean gasped in relief as the salve smoothed over his cuts. It kept them clean and encouraged healing without being magical.

Severus covered all the cuts on Dean with the salve before he stopped and replaced the boy's clothing. He flexed his stiff and hands and went to the bathroom to wash.

After his hands were clean he glanced in the mirror. _I look like hell! _He thought. He was paler than ever. _Sickly pale._ Crossing his mind. He turned away from the mirror and walked to the door of the bathroom. _Why is the room spinning? I don't think it's suppose to do that. _He sank to his knees and passed out.

"Bring this up to Dean." Johanna ordered her daughter. "He'll be hungry. He's barely eaten anything since he came home."

"Sure." Levina balanced the tray of food in her arms. "What about the Professor?"

"Invite him down for dinner." Johanna told her as she set an extra place at the dinner table. Her husband would be home soon and he'd be exhausted and ready for supper.

"Okay." Levina took the stairs two at time. She gave the tray to her brother. "Do you know when Professor what's-his-name went?"

Dean shook his head. "No. I think he went to wash his hands. But he's been gone for awhile."

"Thanks." Levina smiled. "Hope you feel better soon." She scampered out of the bedroom. Her room across the hall was empty and so was the office that they shared. The bathroom door was closed and looked.

"Are you in there?" She called, knocking hard. "Professor, sir?"

There was no answer.

"Ah. Blast it." She ran back to the kitchen. "Mum, I think the Professor locked himself in the bathroom."

Johanna looked up. "Are you sure? Maybe he just needed to be alone. Did you try knocking?"

"Yes!" Levina protested. "If he's in there he's not answering!"

Johanna put the last of the food on the table. "Fill the drinks." She ordered her daughter. "And call Eliza. It's time she came home."

"Whatever." Levina said, but she did as she was told.

Johanna hurried up the stairs. _I hope he hasn't gotten sick. Or smashed his head in the bathroom._ She remembered her husband Jonathan coming home and telling her how his sister had split her head open after falling in the bathroom and banging into the tub.

"Professor Snape are you in here?" She asked, banging the door as loud as she could. "Are you al-right? Do you need help?"

But Severus didn't stir. His body was tired from lack of sleep and fighting off the Fossa virus. He'd been immunized long ago, before they stopped the program and he needed the rest.

"I'm going to come in!" Johanna called as she pulled the key from her pocket. She always wore a ring of keys and everything was labeled neatly. She turned the key in the hole and slowly opened the door.

At first she didn't see anything. But as she opened the door wider Johanna saw the man collapsed over the sink. She rushed to his side. "Oh, my!" She carefully looked him over. His spine and head appeared undamaged. "Are you al-right?"

Snape could hear someone calling him. Smells of cooked food hit his nose. He slowly opened his heavy eyes and looked around.

"Thank goodness you woke up!" He turned his head and fell off the sink landing on the floor at the woman's (_Johanna,_ his brain told him) feet.

"What?" He tried to asked, but his voice failed and turned to a low rasp.

"Oh, no!" Johanna helped him off the floor. "Are you al-right?" She looked at him before shaking her head. "No, you're not. Come on." she lead him carefully out of the bathroom and into Levina's room and laid him on Eliza's bed.

"I'll be right back." She promised. "I just have to check on the kids." Johanna headed downstairs not knowing at a family argument was about to irrupt and it would be hours before she got back upstairs to care for her son and the Potions Master.

Severus tried to sleep. He wanted to relax and forget the aching in his body more than anything. But he thought of his student sleeping in the room across the hall and found it impossible to rest. He got up and began pacing around the small room. His body protested every movement but he couldn't just lie in bed.

"Sir?" Dean Thomas was leaning against the door frame. The cuts were looking better and he seemed more alert.

"Yes?" Snape turned to his student.

"Are you feeling al-right Sir?"

"Of course." But after he'd claimed he was fine Severus collapsed on to the bed, the blood drained from his face and he started coughing harshly.

Dean walked across the room and sat down next to his Professor. "It's okay sir. I'll help you." He got the box of medications from his room and brought it got to Severus. "Just lie down and rest sir."

Severus did as he was told and was amazed to find how much better he felt after simply laying down. "Leave now Thomas."

His student just glared down at him. "Sir, you're sick. You need help." He pulled a fever thermometer out of the box. "Open your mouth please."

Severus glared at his student. But he did as he was told.

Dean started to get nervous when the Professor didn't argue with him. _The man must be really sick! _The thermometer beeped and he took it out. "Forty degrees!" He looked closely at Severus. "Are you cold sir?"

Snape felt himself shiver again. "Yes." The boy put another two blankets on to his bed. "Thank you."

Dean took cough syrup, sleeping pills and a non magical fever reducer out of the box. "Are you in pain Sir?"

Severus thought about the question for a moment. _Am I in pain? _"No."

"How do you feel sir?"

Snape was getting annoyed. "I can take care of myself!" He snapped at the boy and he surged out of the bed.

But Dean put his hands on his Professor's shoulders and pushed him back down. _I shouldn't have been able to do that! He's really sick. _"I can help you sir. I just need you to tell me how you feel."

"Tired. Cold." He started coughing again.

Dean quickly scanned the back of the cough syrup bottle. He poured the appropriate dosage out into a small cup. "Take this sir. It'll help your cough."

Severus downed the medicine. The sickly sweet taste didn't bother him. It tasted better than most healing potions. "Thank you."

_Did he just thank me? _Dean was astounded. "Try these sir. They're for fever." He offered the pills over along with a glass of water. He gently helped his teacher sit up and take the medicine.

"What are these for?" Severus asked when he was offered four more pills.

"Sleeping pills. They'll help you rest."

Severus twisted in his student's grip. "I don't need them."

"You do. You have to sleep to get well."

"So do you Thomas. You haven't recovered from the Fossa virus yet."

"I know sir. Just swallow the pills."

Severus stopped fighting and took the pills. He was tired and the sooner he could be out of here the better.

Dean sighed with relief when his teacher fell asleep. He took Eliza's bed on the other side of the room so he could watch over the sleeping man.

By the time he woke up most of the cuts had healed and he was feeling much better. He continued to rest, trying to decide if he should get up and get something to eat.

"Good Afternoon." Mum entered carrying food on trays.

"Afternoon?"

"You've slept all day." She sat down the warm bread and soup and came to sit next to him. "I let you sleep since I'm not really sure what to do for you. How do you feel?"

"Hungry!" Dean excepted the plate and bowl. "Thanks Mum. This looks awesome!" He devoured the food in front of him.

Johanna loving ran her hand over her son's face. "The cuts look much better. There's only scabs left."

"That's the best thing about the Fossa virus." Professor Snape's voice cut into their conversation. "It passes quickly if you rest and are young."

Johanna moved to the Potion Master's side. "Are you feeling better too? I think you were suffering from overwork and sleep deprivation."

"Much." Severus sat up and excepted the food she offered. "Thank you."

The two patients eat quickly. Dean excepted seconds but Severus stood as soon as he was finished. He walked to his student and peered at the healing cuts. "You should be fine. The cuts won't reopen and no more should appear. It there's a problem, owl the school."

"Of course. What are you going to do now sir?" Dean asked.

"Continue to the next student's house."

"I don't think so." Johanna told him. "You still need to take a break and get plenty of rest if you want to stay feeling better. Go back home and let someone else handle the job."

Severus opened his mouth to protest. But realized it was a good idea. He could brew more slave and help Poppy look after Albus and the other teachers that had fallen ill. "Wonderful idea. Thank you."

"No problem."

Professor Snape took a quick shower, used a cleaning charm on his robes and met Joanna and Levina back in the entrance way. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Your welcome. Thanks for healing my son." Johanna smiled and Levina waved goodbye as he headed into an alley to apparate back to Hogsmeade.


End file.
